07.09.2025 20:58

Making a monumental impact on the American music scene, South Korean powerhouse Stray Kids have conquered the Billboard 200 chart with their latest release, *Karma*. The album secured the top spot by moving an impressive 313,000 equivalent units, a figure that establishes it as the second-largest debut sales week in the U.S. for the year 2025 and demonstrates the group's overwhelming dominance over all other current titles.

A substantial portion of the album's success stems from its remarkable pure sales, which totaled 296,000 copies purchased in its inaugural week. This powerful figure places them just behind The Weeknd, whose album *Hurry Up Tomorrow* continues to hold the 2025 record for the highest opening-week pure sales with 359,000 units, making Stray Kids' achievement a historic near-miss for the top spot of the year.

While their No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 is undisputed, the total of 313,000 equivalent units for *Karma* positions it within the year's broader landscape of major releases. According to internet sources, the top debut figures for 2025 still belong to Morgan Wallen’s *I’m the Problem* and The Weeknd’s *Hurry Up Tomorrow*, which launched with a staggering 493,000 and 495,000 equivalent units, respectively, setting a high bar for commercial performance.

However, the current sales records for 2025 may soon be overshadowed, as all eyes in the music industry are turning towards the impending release of Taylor Swift's highly anticipated album, *The Life of a Showgirl*. The forthcoming project is widely expected to shatter existing benchmarks and establish new highs for the year in the coming weeks.